Day of tribute to Horace Kimball
hero of The Battle of the Bulge

3 December 2005

The 84th Division has a history that reaches back to Abraham Lincoln and the
Black Hawk Indian War of 1832. The Division patch is a symbol of that legacy
and shows an ax splitting a log for a rail fence -- hence the nickname
"Railsplitters".

History

On September 20, 1944, the 84th landed in England, trained for a month, then
headed for the fighting on the European continent. On November 10, 1944, the
Division landed in France and was rushed to the front in Belgium. It was the
first unit to smash the northern section of Germany's dreaded Siegfried Line.
When the German Army began its last great counter-offensive, the 84th Division
again blocked the path. In freezing cold and snow, General Von Rundstedt threw
the German Army at the 84th again and again. But the Division held its ground in
what became known as "The Battle of the Bulge". In November 1944, the 84th moved
into Germany and entered combat as an infantry division. Its first mission was
the capture of Geilkenkirchen, Germany as part of a larger offensive, north of
Aachen. From there, the 84th moved on to capture Boeck and Linden in the face of
heavy enemy resistance. The 84th remained in almost continuous action until it
reached the Elbe River in April 1945 where it established contact with the
Russians at Barlow in May. The 84th has never suffered from lack of battle
honors. During World War II, the 84th Division earned 7 Distinguished Unit
Citations, 12 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1 Distinguished Service Medal, 555
Silver Stars, 4 Legions of Merit, 27 soldier Medals, 2962 Bronze Stars, and 59
Air Medals.